Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
by Damion Starr
Summary: A different ending to one of the greatest movies of all time. (A Jane/Neil romance.) Finished
1. Tremble And Spin

1 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
  
  
Author's Note: A new ending starting from where Neil died. (He doesn't in this version because that pissed me off.) Very Jane + Neil oriented.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Final Fantasy characters, the creative assholes at Square do.  
  
  
  
Tremble and Spin..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jane's eyes widened in horror as the phantom tentacles writhed grotesquely in the center of Neil's chest.  
  
"No!" She ran around and opened up on the tentacles until they were severed. Neil fell to his knees, clutching his torso. Jane dropped her rifle and rushed to his side. "Neil!" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to keep him from collapsing. He began to shake violently. She held him tighter. "Neil?" He slowly lifted a trembling hand to his mouth and when he pulled it away there was blood on his fingers.  
  
"Jane." His shaking voice couldn't hide his pain and fear.  
  
"Hold on, Neil." She pulled him to his feet and wrapped his arm around her neck, and then they started for the lift. "Captain!" Grey came over the comm. clearly.  
  
"Jane! How's Neil?"  
  
"He's alive, but in bad shape. We need Dr. Sid."  
  
"I'll send him down."  
  
Jane steadied Neil as the lift started up. "Hang on, Neil. Please hang on." She whispered. When the lift jerked to a stop there was Dr. Sid. His experienced eye quickly assessed Neil's condition.  
  
"Follow me." Jane silently followed the doctor back towards the Black Boa.  
  
Jane carefully laid Neil's still form on the table. "He's been infected. I don't have the laser to cut it out, so I'll use part of the spirit wave to trap it in him."  
  
"But won't that weaken the wave?" Dr. Sid shook his head.  
  
"It will hardly effect it, now sit here." Jane stared at the chair he offered; confused. "We're losing him fast. You need to be his spiritual support." Jane sat beside Neil. "Keep him with us." She looked up at Dr. Sid and nodded, understanding what she had to do. Dr. Sid moved to put her under. Jane took Neil's hand in hers, and her last thought was how cold his hand was getting.  
  
  
  
R & R please! 


	2. Trust Love...Believe

1 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Second chapter in my story. Now a romance blooms.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, Square does.  
  
  
  
Trust Love.Believe  
  
  
  
  
  
A few hours later, Jane awoke to find herself strapped into the co pilot's chair and in space. She blinked around at her surroundings before resting her gaze on Ryan, who sat beside her in the pilot's chair. "I'm fine." He said, indicating the bandage that was wrapped around his torso beneath his tee shirt. "And so is Neil." Jane jerked up in her chair, suddenly remembering everything that had happened. "You can go see him. He's still in the lab." Jane smiled at her friend, then unbuckled herself and floated towards the door.  
  
No one else was in the lab, and Jane was kind of relieved. She eased her way over to Neil's side. His shirt was gone and he wore a metal wrap with readout monitors like Aki's. Jane's fingers delicately danced over the metal until she came to his hand. She intertwined her fingers with his and moved her eyes to his face. He had a child-like innocence as he slept peacefully. She gently ran her fingers through his hair, then, unable to control herself, leaned over and kissed him softly. She felt his lips twitch beneath hers and she pulled away. Her eyes locked with his as hers opened. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, then Neil reached up and gently cupped the side of her face in his hand. His thumb caressed her cheekbone and she felt her heart leap. "I love you, Jane." This was hardly above a whisper, so Jane thought she had heard wrong, but when she gazed into his eyes she knew what he had said. Her eyes teared up. "I love you, too, Neil." Her voice cracked and when she closed her eyes tears began to fall. Neil pulled her toward him and kissed away each tear, then kissed her on the lips. Jane returned the embrace. From the doorway Aki, Ryan and Grey watched the two lovers. Each of the on lookers wore a smile as they slipped away quietly.  
  
  
  
Please R and R 


	3. A Sigh Escapes From Heaven

1 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Not much to say. Third chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own anything in Final Fantasy.  
  
  
  
A Sigh Escapes From Heaven  
  
  
  
  
  
Jane slowly awoke in a chair beside the table that Neil slept quietly on. Her hand twitched in his, but she didn't move it. She smiled and gently brushed a few dark strands of hair from his eyes. "Time to wake up." She stroked his cheek. He grumbled softly and shifted beneath her touch, but stayed asleep. Finally, Jane stood up and kissed him softly. When she pulled away he smiled. "That's my kinda wake up call." She grinned. "How are you feeling?" He cupped her face in his hand. "Better than I have in a long time." They were about to kiss again when the door slid open. Jane jumped away and pulled her hand from his. "Hello Captain, Ryan, Dr. Ross." Each nodded in greeting. "Good morning, Jane." Ryan said with a sly smile on his face. Jane ignored him. "How are you feeling, Neil?" Grey asked as he walked to Neil's side. Neil smiled half-heartedly. "I've been better, but I'll live." Grey flashed a quick relieved smile. "That's good." He turned to Jane. "I need your help with something." Jane glanced at Neil, who gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine." She followed the Captain reluctantly. Ryan also left, but Aki stayed behind. She stared at Neil for a moment; the silence heavy between them. Then, she spoke. "It's overwhelming, isn't it?" Neil looked up at her, confused. "What?" "Knowing that you have something inside that could kill you." She walked over and sat beside him. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the table. "I guess I never really thought about it."  
  
"You mean you don't want to think about it?" Neil didn't reply. Aki sighed. "Neil, no one wants to think about something like that, but you have to understand just how real this is." Neil turned away from her, but she kept talking. "If you let your guard down, even for a minute, the shield will fail and that thing will kill you this time." "How can the shield fail?" "The shield is an energy itself, but when it's inside someone it becomes dependant on that persons spirit." Neil didn't say anything. He understood. Aki stood and rested a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "You're a strong person Neil. I know you're gonna be alright." She left, leaving Neil to his thoughts. 


	4. Suspended Within

1 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
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Author's Note: Chapter four. Aki's conversation with Neil brings up complications and second thoughts…  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own any of Final Fantasy The Spirits Within  
  
  
  
Suspended Within  
  
  
  
Jane stood in the doorway, watching Neil. He had his back to her with his knees pulled up to his chest. She hated how vulnerable he seemed. "Neil?" She sat beside him, but he didn't acknowledge her presence. "Neil, is – is something wrong?" She didn't see him close his eyes, or the hurtful expression on his face. "Jane, I … don't… know if… we should… be… together…" He had to force the words out of his mouth, and when they came out his heart already began to protest. He didn't see Jane's shocked and hurt expression. "What?" She shouted, a little louder than intended. "But, Neil, I… I just thought…" Her voice dropped to little more than a whisper. "I thought you loved me." Neil swallowed hard. "Well, I guess I don't." His voice faltered. Jane stared at him for a moment, then stood and turned away. "Okay, then. I'll just go." She walked away quickly, so Neil wouldn't see the tears that already began to fall.  
  
Neil buried his face in his hands when he heard Jane leave. 'You had to do it. You had to protect her. It was the only way.' Then why does it hurt so much? He hated questioning himself, and for once he didn't have a good answer. He lay down, suddenly exhausted. 'You can tell her after you're cured. Then you can be together again.' He stared out the window at the Earth. 'Please forgive me Jane.' 


	5. Dream In Peace

1 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
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Author's Note: Chapter five. Not much else to say.  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own Final Fantasy  
  
  
  
Dream In Peace  
  
  
  
  
  
Jane stood on a cliff overlooking a lush, green valley. The sun peeked over the hills in the distance. A soft wind embraced her.  
  
"Jane…"  
  
She whirled around and her eyes locked onto Neil's. He began walking towards her, his face solemn.  
  
"Neil?"  
  
He stopped halfway up the cliff and brought his hand to his chest, then pulled it away. A bright blue light appeared in his hand, then disappeared into the heavens.  
  
"Jane…"  
  
She moved her eyes from where the light had disappeared to Neil.  
  
"I do love you. Don't forget that."  
  
His words echoed around her. Suddenly, a phantom tentacle appeared in the center of his chest. Jane gasped and tried to run and help him, but she was frozen. She could only watch in horror as the phantom whipped away, taking his spirit with it.  
  
Neil's body began to fall…  
  
… And Jane awoke with a start; along with Neil, who'd had the same dream.  
  
While Jane waited for her racing heart to calm itself she buried her face in her hands; trying to make sense of the dream. Finally, she left the cockpit and headed for the lab.  
  
Neil took deep breaths as the dream sunk in. He shuddered. If it was just a dream, then why had it felt so real?  
  
Jane watched Neil from the shadows. Her heart began to tear as he pulled his knees to his chest. The Earth's light glinted off the metal on his body. Jane fought back the urge to run in there and wrap her arms around his vulnerable form, to kiss him over and over and tell him she loved him with all of her spirit. She turned and leaned against the wall beside the door. She couldn't do that. She didn't need him. She was a Proudfoot, and she wasn't going to let a dream make her forget that. 'But,' she thought as she walked away. 'if it was just a dream, then why does it feel like he's not going to be there?' 


	6. Where Hearts Can See

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
Authors Note: Finally, chapter six. I changed the final phantom confrontation to be a little shorter.  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own anything FF: TSW even though I consider Neil to be god.  
  
Where Hearts Can See  
  
Jane's shoulder gently brushed Neil's as the quarto descended slowly into the crater that had been formed by the Leonid meteor. The two were crammed in with Ryan, Grey, Aki, and tons of Aki's spirit tracking equipment. It amazed Jane that the small ATV was able to hold all of them. Suddenly, Dr. Sid's voice came over the comms. "We have incoming!" He barely finished the last word when an explosion rocked the quarto. Jane fell back into Neil as the ship swung around crazily. When Grey finally got it stabilized Jane, blushing furiously, pushed away from Neil, muttering an apology almost beneath her breath. A hurt expression flashed across his face. "Doc, what the hell was that?!" Dr. Sid came back on, but this time the message was full of static. "It's the Zeus Cannon! They're firing!" Grey seemed ready to say something, but Aki jumped in. "What about the spirit?" "I can't find it on the scanner." There was a long silence before Dr. Sid screamed into the comm. "They're firing  
again!" Everyone crouched low to the floor. An explosion shook the ship, then they began to fall. Everyone braced themselves for impact. The finally hit the ground, hard.  
  
Aki watched the monitor intently, looking for some sign of the eighth spirit. Then, there it was. Her face lit up. "I found it." The others gathered around her. "Okay," Grey took control. "Ryan, Jane, Aki, let's go get that spirit. Neil, see if you can repair the damage." Everyone nodded and silently set about their appointed tasks. 


	7. A Flame On The Wind

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
Authors Note: Chapter eight. I changed the dream where Aki realizes she had the spirit all along.  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own Final Fantasy.  
  
A Flame On The Wind  
  
Neil watched Jane as she walked past. Jane glanced to the side and their eyes locked briefly, then Jane looked straight ahead. Neil sighed and sadly turned back to the repairs. Suddenly, Dr. Sid came onto the comm. "The cannon is heating up. They're preparing to fire again!" "Captain, do you copy that?" Nothing. "Captain?" Then it hit him. The others didn't have their comms. Neil dropped what he was working on and raced in the direction that the Deep Eye's had gone. "Jane!"  
  
Jane turned at the sound of his voice. "Neil?" "They're firing again! Get down!" Ryan, Aki and Grey dropped to the ground. Jane looked up and saw a large beam coming toward them. Before she could move Neil tackled her to the ground, shielding her with his body. Jane could feel his hot breath on her neck and his lips brushed her ear. Her heart skipped a beat. Then, the beam hit. Jane dug her fingernails into the dirt as if it would hold her down. Suddenly, Neil was flung off her. "Neil!" Finally, the dust settled. Jane looked up and her jaw dropped. "Oh, shit." A huge red phantom towered over the ground. "Aki!" Jane looked over at Grey. He was gently cradling her unconscious form. Jane pushed herself up onto her knees and looked around, finally resting her gaze on Neil's body. She rushed to his side. His shirt was torn open and his chest was covered in crimson blood where part of the iron shield had broken off. He was deathly pale. "Ryan! Captain! Someone help!"  
  
Neil stood on a desolate wasteland. All around him where bodies of strange creatures. The sun glared uncomfortably overhead. He turned away from the light. "Doc?" Aki walked up to him. "Finally, someone else to share the dream with." Suddenly, a phantom tentacle appeared in the center of her body. He tried to move, to help her, but he couldn't. He looked down. There was a tentacle in his own body. As he stared, horrified, a blue light spread over the spirit, destroying it. He looked up at Aki and saw that the same thing had happened to her. Their eyes locked. They understood. 


	8. And Worlds End

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
Authors Note: Seriously running out of things to say here. Chapter nine.  
  
Disclaimer: Still not the proud owner of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  
  
And Worlds End  
  
Neil and Aki both jerked awake at the same time. Without a word they set about hooking up the monitors on their bodies. Everyone watched as the energy from them added to the spirit wave. "A perfect match." Jane muttered in awe.  
  
Neil leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. "So, how do we use this thing?"  
  
Aki chewed her bottom lip. "The only way to get this wave to work against the phantoms is if the phantom passes through... a person carrying... the wave." Everyone was silent. "So basically it's a suicide mission." Jane said. Aki nodded. Silence settled over them again.  
  
"I'll do it." Everyone turned towards Grey.  
  
"No, I'll do it." Aki stepped forward. Soon, they were arguing so much that no one noticed when Neil took the spirit wave and slipped out of the quatro. Jane turned when the barrier faded into a different color.  
  
"Neil?" Everyone turned. Neil stood outside the barrier, looking up sadly at Jane. "What are you doing?" Jane stepped toward him and was about to touch the barrier when Neil threw up his hand.  
  
"No! Don't touch that!" Jane recoiled. "I set the barrier up for electromagnetic pulse. Too much of the energy could kill you." Jane dropped her hands to her sides, but she stepped closer.  
  
"What are you doing?" Neil met her gaze with an unflinching stare.  
  
"I'm saving the planet." Jane finally noticed the blue spirit wave was missing. Realization hit her like a speeding train.  
  
"No."  
  
"Good bye, Jane." He began walking toward where the huge phantom gaia flowed from the ground.  
  
"Neil." Jane grabbed a comm. "Neil, don't do this!" He didn't turn, or even pause.  
  
Grey ripped the comm. from Jane's fingers. "Corporal Fleming! I order you to come back here!"  
  
"That's one order I have to disobey, sir."  
  
Jane took the comm. back. "Neil, please. Come back. We can figure out some other way to use the wave."  
  
"It might be too late by then."  
  
Jane was getting desperate. Neil stood tight in front of the phantom gaia. "Neil, I... I..." He lifted his hand toward the sky. "Neil, I love you!"  
  
"I love you, too." He didn't turn, but he did lower his hand.  
  
"Then why-"  
  
"I didn't want you to get hurt. It was dangerous to be with me."  
  
"Neil, I knew there were risks, but I didn't care. I wanted to be with you."  
  
He was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."  
  
Jane smiled. "It's alright. Just come back." He lifted his hand again. "Neil!"  
  
"I have to do this Jane. I have to save this planet."  
  
"Neil!" Tears formed in Jane's eyes.  
  
"I have to save my family."  
  
Jane reached out and touched the barrier. A jolt of electricity made her jerk back. "Damnit, Neil." She whispered sorrowfully.  
  
"I have to save you."  
  
"Neil, don't!"  
  
"We'll meet again someday."  
  
"You can't leave me!"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"Neil!"  
  
A phantom tentacle swept through him, taking his spirit and the spirit wave with it. He crumpled to the ground, dead.  
  
"NO!" 


	9. The Stars Are Crying

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  
  
Authors Note: Finally, the final chapter in my Final Fantasy based on the final half of the Final Fantasy movie. (I know, overkill, but hey, I had to say something!)  
  
Disclaimer: Does anyone want to buy me Final Fantasy?! Okay, just Neil? Jane? I'll settle for Ryan. (I'll consider it an insult if anyone gets me Grey or Aki... Or Sid... or Hein. Sorry to those fans.)  
  
Okay, it's officially established that I am insane, so onto the story! ^_^  
  
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The Stars Are Crying  
  
Tears streamed down Jane's face. She pushed against the barrier, ignoring the pain that seared through her hands. "Neil!" Her hands slipped through the barrier, followed by the rest of her. She quickly gained her footing and raced towards Neil. Above her the gaia began to change to the peaceful blue that Neil's spirit had been.  
  
Jane dropped to her knees beside Neil. She gently turned him over onto her lap. "Neil..." She ran her fingers through his brown hair. Her head dropped over his body and she began to sob, hard. Someone set a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into Ryan's eyes, which glittered with unshed tears. Grey and Aki stood a good distance behind, Aki crying into Grey's arms. Grey looked at her with a sad sympathetic expression. Jane turned back to Neil and hugged his body close. Ryan walked away, understanding that she needed her space. The gaia above began to break into tons of small blue lights and float towards the stars, except for one, that floated towards Jane and buried itself in her back.  
  
Jane stroked Neil's cheek. He looked peaceful and innocent lying in her arms. A small smile touched her lips. "You can rest easy, Neil. We're all safe." She pulled him closer. "You saved your family." She brushed his hair from his eyes and tears began to spill again. "You saved me." She cradled his head and gently kissed his lips. She felt something warm pulse through her lips and into Neil. She pulled away. His chest rose and his hand twitched. A small groan escaped his lips. His gray eyes slid open. "Jane." She smiled and hugged him tightly. "Neil! Oh god! I thought you were dead!" He hugged her back. "I was." Jane pulled back. "Then how-" Neil brought a finger to her lips. "Don't question your gift, just accept it." Jane smiled and nodded. "Okay." He moved his hand from her lips to the back of her neck and kissed her. They reluctantly pulled apart when they heard the others coming towards them. Jane helped Neil to his feet and he swung an arm around her shoulders. She  
smiled at him. "I love you, Neil." He kissed her forehead, then rested his against hers, looking deep into her eyes. "I love you, Jane."  
  
The End 


End file.
